Israel Folau lays down challenge to Waratahs teammates after beating Crusaders

Beating the Crusaders won’t mean a thing if the Waratahs don’t go on from here. That’s the blunt warning from senior players who aren’t getting carried away with the team’s performance for good reason.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 23: Bernard Foley and Kurtley Beale of the Waratahs congratulate Israel Folau of the Waratahs as he celebrates scoring a try during the round six Super Rugby match between the Waratahs and the Crusaders on March 23, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Beating the Crusaders won’t mean a thing if the Waratahs don’t go on from here and starting stringing some wins together.

That’s the sobering message from skipper Michael Hooper and star fullback Israel Folau after the Waratahs finally showed what they can do when they’re switched on.

As impressive as Saturday’s comprehensive 20-12 win over the defending champions was, it simply reinforced what everybody already knew: that the Waratahs have got the strike force to beat anyone but need to start doing it week in, week out.

“I definitely think this is something we can really go off the back of this,” said Folau, who has come back to Earth quickly after the Crusaders coach Scott Robertson said the Australian jumps so high he should be an astronaut.

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“The season is still early days and there’s plenty more games to come but we’re still building as a team.”

Hooper wasn’t getting carried away with the win either, noting the obvious improvements, but not ducking away from the fact there are other areas that need surgery.

“We just want to be the best we can be, we want to improve every week regardless of who we’re playing,” he said.

“Yes, you come up against the Crusaders so you know you need to go up a level but every game is tough.

“Our motivation is just growing each week, what we can improve and what we can do. Our defence is really good but our attack still can be better so next week we go to build that again.”

Folau, who joined Doug Howlett as the all-time leading tryscorer in Super Rugby with his 59th career try, said getting psyched up to play the Crusaders was easy because every team lifts when they play the best side in Super Rugby.

Bernard Foley and Kurtley Beale of the Waratahs congratulate Israel Folau of the Waratahs

The trick is being able to do it against every opponent, something the Waratahs haven’t been able to manage this season, losing to the Hurricanes and Brumbies and scraping in by a point against the Sunwolves in Tokyo when they were expected to romp in.

The Waratahs will be heavy odds-on favourites when they play the Sunwolves again next Friday, this time at Newcastle, so Folau said his team have to approach the game with the same ruthless determination that they showed against the Crusaders.

“I don't like to think that our team is just a team that steps up to a big occasion or big games,” he said. “I'd like to think that the boys are always turning up each week and putting their best foot forward.

“It’s easier to step up to a big challenge like the Crusaders, when you're playing the best team in the comp for a long time, I think anyone would step up naturally.

“The challenge going forward is not being complacent with that win and just making sure that our processes are still the same, working hard and being sure that we can put out a good performances.”